Eleven Lemont Student-Athletes Make College Commitments

LEMONT, IL — Eleven Lemont High School student-athletes have announced their commitments to play collegiately beginning in fall 2023. According to LHS, students include baseball players Conor Murray (Illinois Wesleyan University), Joe Pender (College of DuPage) and Luke Wallace (Southeastern Community College); football players Jack Lyons (Augustana College), Payton Salomon (Wartburg College) and Nathan Wrublik (Monmouth College); golfer Daniel Stood (Saint Xavier University); hockey player Danny Johnson (Lewis University); men’s soccer player Lucas Urban (Aurora University); women’s soccer player Nicole Bobcik (Buffalo State University); and swimmer Makenzie Rusco (Augustana College).

LHS provided information on each student's athletic careers below:

Nicole Bobcik

• Has earned two varsity letters playing for head coach Rick Prangen
• Is expected to play a significant role this spring in the defensive backfield
• Has helped Lemont to a composite 33-8-1 record in two seasons, as well as two South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles and two IHSA Regional crowns
• Defender who has totaled five points on two goals and one assist in 36 career games
• Has played club soccer for Chicago Inter
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Greg Margolis at Buffalo State University, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Buffalo, New York, and is a member of the State University of New York Athletic Conference.

Danny Johnson

• Plays for the Spartans Hockey Club, which includes students from Lemont, Lockport, Bolingbrook and Romeoville
• Has seen time on both offense and defense, but most recently has primarily been a defenseman
• Has served as the team’s top defenseman for two years
• Posted 10 goals and 17 assists during the 2021-22 season
• Has collected two goals and 11 assists thus far during the 2022-23 season
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Mark Marfise at Lewis University, an American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II institution that is located in Romeoville, and is a member of the Northern Collegiate Hockey League.

Jack Lyons

• Earned two varsity letters playing for head coach Bret Kooi
• Helped Lemont to a composite 23-2 record over two seasons, as well as two South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles, one IHSA Class 6A Quarterfinal appearance, and one IHSA Class 6A Semifinal finish
• Served as a starter at middle linebacker as a senior in 2022
• Was second on the team with 72 tackles (34 solo) and 12.5 tackles-for-loss, while also adding 1.5 sacks and one pass breakup
• Contributed to a defense that allowed eight or fewer points six times and posted two shutouts
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Steve Bell at Augustana College, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Rock Island, and is a member of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin.

Conor Murray

• Has earned one varsity letter playing for head coach Brian Storako
• Expected to contribute in the infield and outfield this spring
• Made his varsity debut as a junior in 2022, batting .288 with four doubles, 16 RBIs and 24 runs scored
• Led the squad with 14 hit-by-pitches, was second on the team with a .490 on base percentage, and was perfect on 13 stolen base attempts
• Named the 2022 Do It Stevie’s Way Award winner
• Lemont finished 25-9, won the South Suburban Conference-Blue Division, and captured an IHSA Regional title
• Also earned two letters playing boys’ basketball and helped Lemont to 55 wins in two seasons
• Plays travel baseball with Longshots Baseball
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Dennis Martel at Illinois Wesleyan University, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Bloomington, and is a member of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin.

Joe Pender

• Has earned one varsity letter playing for head coach Brian Storako
• Expected to be an impact player in the field and behind the plate this spring
• Made his varsity debut as a junior in 2022, batting .314 with five doubles, one home run and 22 RBIs
• Was third on the team with eight hit-by-pitches, posted a .451 on base percentage, and was perfect on 15 stolen base attempts
• Lemont finished 25-9, won the South Suburban Conference-Blue Division, and captured an IHSA Regional title
• Also earned one letter playing boys’ basketball
• Plays travel baseball with Illinois Premier
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Bobby Wilson at College of DuPage, a National Junior College Athletic Association Division III institution that is located in Glen Ellyn, and is a member of the North Central Community College Conference.

Makenzie Rusco

• Earned four varsity letters in swimming, including the last two for head coach Meaghan Bower
• Helped Lemont to three South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles
• Earned the team’s “Most Improved” award as a senior in 2022
• Helped Lemont to an SSC Blue title after placing fourth in the 500 freestyle and fifth in the 200 individual medley, and being part of the runner-up 200 free relay
• Posted personal best times in the 200 individual medley (2:34.50) and 500 free (5:55.62) in sectional competition
• Debuted on the varsity squad as a freshman in 2019
• Also swims with FMC Aquatic
• High Honor Roll student
• Will swim for head coach Daniel Lloyd at Augustana College, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Rock Island, and is a member of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin.

Payton Salomon

• Earned two varsity letters playing for head coach Bret Kooi
• Helped Lemont to a composite 23-2 record over two seasons, as well as two South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles, one IHSA Class 6A Quarterfinal appearance, and one IHSA Class 6A Semifinal finish
• Two-time all-conference honoree who proved to be one of the top quarterbacks in the state
• Over two seasons, completed 72.0 percent of his passes (265-368) for 4,313 yards and 65 touchdowns while throwing just two interceptions
• Team captain who was named the SSC Blue Player of the Year as a senior in 2022
  • Completed 73.2 percent of his passes (148-202) for 2,560 yards while throwing for a career-high 34 touchdowns and just one interception
• Added 133 yards rushing and four scores on the ground
• Tabbed as a first team Class 6A all-state performer by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association and as the 2022 Deep Dish Football Player of the Year
• Earned Daily Southtown and Suburban Life all-area accolades and first team Champaign News Gazette all-state honors
• Lemont went 12-1, posted a perfect regular season, won the SSC Blue, and reached the IHSA Class 6A Semifinals
• Assumed the starter’s role as a junior in 2021 and earned All-SSC honors
• Cited with 2021 IHSFCA honorable mention all-state honors
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Chris Winter at Wartburg College, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Waverly, Iowa, and is a member of the American Rivers Conference.

Daniel Stood

• Earned two varsity letters playing for head coach Mark Hollatz
• Served as a starter on two of the best teams in school history
• Lemont won four tournaments over two seasons and never finished lower than fourth in 18 tournaments
• Lemont posted consecutive fourth place finishes in the IHSA State Finals and won two South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles
• Carded multiple career best 18-hole rounds of 77, including one at the 2021 IHSA State Finals
• Earned All-SSC accolades as a senior in 2022 after shooting a 78 to place fifth at the SSC Meet
• Posted a career-best 9-hole average of 41.68
• Was very consistent in IHSA State Series play, posting rounds of 81, 80, 81 and 81
• Tied for 13th in IHSA Regional competition
• Tied for 58th among all individuals at the IHSA Class 2A State Finals
• Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Alan Lynn at Saint Xavier University, an NAIA institution that is located in Chicago, and is a member of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Lucas Urban

• Earned four varsity letters playing for head coach Rick Prangen
• Helped Lemont to a composite 40-20-22 record over four seasons, as well as one South Suburban Conference-Blue Division title and three IHSA Regional crowns
• Defender who played in 55 career games
• Served as a team captain as a senior in 2022
• Lemont posted shutouts in 15 of 25 matches and allowed just 13 goals
• Contributed to Lemont allowing a conference-low six goals in league contests
• Lemont went 14-4-7, finished as the SSC Blue runner-up, won an IHSA Regional, and was an IHSA Sectional runner-up
• Plays club soccer for Roadrunners SC
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Ryan Lakin at Aurora University, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Aurora, and is a member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

Luke Wallace

• Has earned two varsity letters playing for head coach Brian Storako
• Centerfielder who is one of the fastest players in the state and could become the school’s career stolen bases leader
• Has helped Lemont to a composite 48-20 record over two seasons, as well as two South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles and two IHSA Regional crowns
• Is a .364 career hitter who has scored 60 runs, driven in 38 runs, and been successful on 50-of-54 stolen base attempts
• Has totaled 15 career extra-base hits with a career on base percentage of .515, a career slugging percentage of .517, and a career OPS of 1.032
• Cited as an All-SSC Blue player as a junior in 2022
• Was second on the team with a .356 batting average, and ranked third in on base percentage (.481), slugging percentage (.481) and OPS (.961)
• Led the team with 39 runs scored, and also paced the team with 36 steals
• Lemont finished 25-9, won the SSC Blue, and captured an IHSA Regional title
• Ranked among the state’s top 20 at his position by PBR
• Also a football player who earned three varsity letters as a wide receiver
• Earned first team Class 6A all-state honors from the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association as a senior in 2022 after posting 52 catches for 1,098 yards and 15 touchdowns
• Also tabbed with IHSFCA Academic All-State accolades
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Justin Schulte at Southeastern Community College, a National Junior College Athletic Association Division I institution that is located in West Burlington, Iowa, and is a member of the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference.

Nathan Wrublik

• Earned two varsity letters playing for head coach Bret Kooi
• Helped Lemont to a composite 23-2 record over two seasons, as well as two South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles, one IHSA Class 6A Quarterfinal appearance, and one IHSA Class 6A Semifinal finish
• Became the starter at running back and earned All-SSC accolades as a senior in 2022
• Led the team with 257 carries for 1,734 yards rushing (6.7 per carry) and 22 rushing scores
• Reached the 100-yard plateau in 10 of 13 games, and ran for more than 200 yards on three occasions
• Added eight catches for 113 yards and a receiving touchdown
• Lost just two fumbles in 265 touches as a senior
• Cited with Daily Southtown and Suburban Life all-area honors
• Lemont went 12-1, posted a perfect regular season, won the SSC Blue, and reached the IHSA Class 6A Semifinals
• Also has earned letters in boys’ track and field and wrestling
• Won 30 matches, including SSC and IHSA Regional titles, and earned a fifth place medal at the 2023 IHSA Class 2A Wrestling Individual State Finals
• High Honor Roll student
• Will play for head coach Chad Braun at Monmouth College, an NCAA Division III institution that is located in Monmouth, and is a member of the Midwest Conference.